No. 69. OXYCOCA. 49- 



Instead of a long description of this well known fruit, 

 I add the definitions of two other species, one of which 

 lately discovered is new. 



2, Sp^. Oxycoca vulgaris. Stem filiform, creeping, na- 

 ked, leaves ovate revolute, obtuse, entire; segments of 

 the corolla oval; berrj purple, oval, and small. In the 

 North of Europe and Boreal America, in bogs. 



3 



. Sp- Oxycoca Berberidea, Raf. Stem filiform branched, 

 suberect; leaves oblong, obtuse, revolute, entire, hardly 

 glaucous beneath; peduncles solitary, elongated, style 

 incurved; berries red, oblong, oblique at the base. Dis- 

 covered by Mr. John Carr, in Raccoon Swamp, in New 

 Jersey, cultivated in Bartram's garden. 



4. Sp. Ozycoca erytlirocarpa. Pers. Stem erect, leaves 

 oval, acuminate, serrulate, ciliated: berries scarlet- In 

 the mountains of North Carolina. 



Sub-genus. Glyciphylla, Raf. 1817- {PoIIomia^ Raf, 

 1820. Lasierpa^ Torrey, 1825.) Corolla campanulate 

 quadrifid . Flowers and berries caliculated, calicule 



bivalve. 



Oxy 



(White 



berry, White Pollom, Sweetberry.) Stem procumbent, 

 hispid; leaves oval, rounded, acuminate, hispid, entire, 

 sessile: corolla campanulate, quadrifid: berries subsessile, 

 caliculate, white, globular and hispid. In Boreal Ame- 

 rica, Canada, Catskill and Alleghany mountains. A 

 multitude of names was given to it, having been united 

 to the genera Vaccinium^ Jtrbutus^ Gautiera^ &.c. It is 

 probably a peculiar genus, and the name of Oxycoca 

 (Sourberry) does not apply to it, since it has sweet ber- 

 ries and leaves like Gautiera, 



HISTORY. Another old genus wTongly abolished by 

 Linnseus, and united to Vacciniumj but restored by 

 Persoon, &c. The name must be modified into Oxycoca^ 

 since there is a genus of insects called Coccus. The 

 Vacciniums or Whortleberries, are larger shrubs, with 

 urceolate quinquefid corolla, ten stamina, berries blue or 

 black, less acidf and more pleasant. All the Cranberries, 

 (except the white kind) are very acid and somewhat 

 acerb, yet become very palatable with sugar in the form 

 of tarts, preserves, kc. They are cooling, slightly lax- 

 ative, and form an excellent diet both in healtli an^ dis- 



E 



